A touch screen is an inductive type device which may receive input signals such as touch and so on. The touch screen gives a new appearance of information interaction and is a new compelling device for information interaction. The development of the touch screen technology has attracted extensive attention of information media circles at home and abroad and has become an emerging sunrise hi-tech in the optoelectronic industry.
A conductive layer is a vital component of a touch screen. Currently, the conductive layer of the touch screen is formed on an insulating base material mainly with ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) through processes of vacuum plating, patterning and etching. The conductive layer is attached to a transparent glass panel through an adhesive layer, thus forming the touch screen.
Indium is very expensive and belongs to scarce resources, thus causing ITO to be costly. In additions, the process, where the entire surface of the insulating base material is plated with ITO and then a graphic etching process is carried out to the ITO, will waste a large quantity of ITO. This undoubtedly greatly increases the production cost. Furthermore, as the conductive layer formed on the insulating base material is attached to the glass panel through the adhesive layer, which not only adds a bonding process causing the production process to be complex and lengthy, but also increase the probability of poor product.